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| Youth for Tomorrow Girls Home to Be Dedicated December 9 | |
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Youth for Tomorrow, an organization started in 1986 by Joe Gibbs, former Washington Redskins Head Coach, provides housing, education, and clinical services to young adults; this home will be used solely for girls. “We started a girls program in 2003,” said Gary Jones, CEO of Youth for Tomorrow. “You think you’ve seen it all and heard it all, until our children walk on campus. And they’ll steal your heart in a moment, because they come with nothing but hope. That’s all they have. Most of them have met tragedy, and in many cases it’s been physical. The FBI will call and say, ‘We arrested a sex trafficker last night, and we have the [survivor]. We know you’re the only facility in Virginia that will take a girl like this; do you have room for one more?’ And we say, ‘Yes.'” “This new home,” Jones added, “will ensure that we can continue to serve those children.” RSVPs to the dedication are not necessary, and lunch will be provided courtesy of HomeAid Northern Virginia. |
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See and hear for yourself what this project will mean to countless girls in the years to come. |
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| Stanley Martin Homes & Supporters Furnish Youth for Tomorrow Home | |
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Their idea quickly brought about complete success: Within just a few weeks, more than $22,000 for furniture purchases had been raised, while many other supporters purchased household necessities and accessories through registries set up at Target and at Bed, Bath & Beyond. “The funding drive easily paid for eight bunk beds, 16 mattresses plus bedding and pillows, 16 dressers, and household items for the kitchens and bathrooms,” said Stanley Martin’s Jennifer Keesling, who coordinated the effort. “Model Home Interiors donated the majority of common area furniture and artwork for the walls, and Stanley Martin Homes pulled various pieces from our model homes to complete the look. Vendors were incredibly supportive, and it was amazing to watch: So many people, who donated their time, labor, and materials to the construction of the house, immediately stepped up again to help furnish and stock the home. Together, we were even able to provide 10- and 6-person dining room tables, ensuring that everyone always has a seat for family-style meals.” Stanley Martin Homes next coordinated a Volunteer Day, and a large group of employees assembled all of the furniture and set up the kitchens and baths. Richard T. von Gersdorff, vice president of operations and CFO for Youth for Tomorrow, said of the effort, “You are saving girls’ lives. The work of HomeAid, Stanley Martin Homes, trade partners, [and supporters] has been truly instrumental in delivering a miracle for many young ladies passing through Youth for Tomorrow, today and in the years to come.” |
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| Thank you, Builder Captain Stanley Martin Homes and the following trade partners, for giving teen girls in crisis a safe and stable home! | |
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84 Lumber Components |
Kohler Plumbing & Bath Fixtures |
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Franklin Electric Co., Inc., led by Owner Tommy Franklin, has participated in every volunteer effort that Stanley Martin Homes has accepted with HomeAid Northern Virginia, and the Youth for Tomorrow project was no exception: Franklin installed all of the electrical wiring, outlets, boxes, and light fixtures for the home, donating approximately 160 man-hours to the project, as well as the wiring and electrical materials (Commonwealth Lighting donated the fixtures, which Franklin then installed). “Franklin’s ownership gets personally involved in these project and helps ensure that everything they do meets our high performance standards,” said Mike Cleary, corporate vice president of purchasing and quality for Stanley Martin Homes. “Tommy is always on the front line, working as a problem solver, quality control expert, and team leader. He and his crew invest so much time and effort, and they’ve been one of our valued partners for as long as I’ve been with Stanley Martin. It’s always a pleasure to work with them, but it’s especially gratifying when the client is HomeAid.” “We learned about this project from Stanley Martin at a Builder’s Trade Council meeting, and we volunteered to help immediately,” Franklin said. “We’ve had the pleasure of working on several HomeAid projects over the years—we do a lot of work in this region, both through Franklin Electric and our sister company, SmartCom Home Technologies, and we’re happy to give back whenever we can. It’s our way of helping out a good cause, and Stanley Martin is a great Builder Captain. There’s always a lot of preparation before construction begins, and it makes for a seamless project every time.” Franklin Electric Co. Inc. was founded in 1997, primarily focusing on electrical and structured wiring for new builds. SmartCom provides low-voltage wiring programs, security, and whole-house entertainment services. |
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| A New Home for the Holidays | |
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The home is dedicated to providing non-time-limited, permanent supportive housing, which means that a family—with at least one parent with a disability—will pay one-third of their income in rent while receiving case management support, for as long as they need it or until their children turn 18. New Hope Housing has a special focus on providing support to children, working to keep the family together and giving the kids as normal a life as possible. “Our work is really about giving families a long-term place to call home,” said Pam Michell, executive director for New Hope Housing. “Most of the families coming to us have lived disrupted lives because of the parent’s disability, and we provide the help and advocacy these parents need so that kids can stay in local schools and get any special education support they need. Stability is critical to successful development, and so many of these kids would otherwise bounce from place to place. Knowing that a family is going to get to move in a home that feels brand new—in time for the holidays—is just incredible. It feels like home—it’s no longer just an institutional place to live.” Scott Alford, vice president of production for Miller & Smith, was glad to take on another HomeAid project, particularly one that needed so much work. “Often times, the list of needed repairs might just be to repaint or update a kitchen, and I always say, ‘I’m not going to do that,’” he said. “Going in and putting a Band-Aid on things might last for another six months to a year, but trade partners will walk away feeling like they haven’t made a big difference. So when we take on a home like this one, where New Hope has done everything they could to keep it operational for as long as they could, I’d prefer to bring in subs who will replace a roof rather than repair it, or who will replace the entire HVAC and clean the ducts. If I’m going to ask someone to donate their time and resources, let’s make it worthwhile and give the shelter provider the most we can, so that things will last 15 to 20 more years with minimal maintenance.” “By setting the bar really high, everyone can walk away saying, ‘Wow, this is nice, and this was a really great experience.’ And then when the residents move in to what is essentially a new home,” he added, “maybe it will give them a new outlook on life, too. That’s what really makes taking on these projects so much fun and so worthwhile.” |
| Thank you, Builder Captain Miller & Smith and the following trade partners, for making a family’s holiday wish for a new home come true! | |
| Alpha Painting Bee & H Electric BFS Bryant Group Builders Floor Service Certainteed Commercial Concrete Falco General Electric HomeTeam Pest Defense IDS John Darvish Construction Johnson Drywall and Painting Majestic Masco Insulation McCormick Paints |
McCrea Heating and Air Conditioning |
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HomeAid Northern Virginia is all about exceeding expectations, and it’s a philosophy shared by Builder Captain Miller & Smith; if it makes more long-term sense to replace rather than repair, then replacement is the preferred choice. “When I’m looking for trade partners to work with us on HomeAid projects, I look for people with the same outlook,” said Scott Alford, Miller & Smith’s vice president of production. “For the New Hope Housing project, we were looking at a home that needed major upgrades, and I turned to one of Miller & Smith’s newest trade partners—McCrea Heating & Air Conditioning Services—to see if they’d be interested.” “I personally hadn’t worked with McCrea before,” he added, “but asking them on board was the best decision; they were one of the first partners on-site, and they sent me a quote the next day showing a total HVAC replacement for zero dollars. I knew I had found more than a new partner; it says a lot about a company to respond so eagerly, without hesitation.” McCrea ultimately replaced the entire HVAC system, including a new heat pump, exhaust fans, registers and grills, and relocated a dryer vent for the renovation. They also arranged for a duct cleaning company to clean the ducts for free. Shane Lanhardt, owner and president of McCrea, said the company regularly contributes to charity. “Heating and air conditioning is a need, not a want, which makes HVAC a good business to be in. It also means that contributions like ours are vital to keeping project costs low, because all housing needs HVAC.” “We were glad to help,” Lanhardt said, “and it was an easy decision to make the 100 percent contribution. Earlier this year, we raised $26,000 for Purple Heart; giving back to the community has been part of our culture since we were founded 80 years ago.” McCrea Heating and Air Conditioning specializes in all facets of HVAC for residential properties, including new installations; service, repair, and replacement; and engineering/design for remodeling. The company works with both builders and private homeowners. |
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| Annual Gala & Auction Raises $335,000, Honors Partners | |
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HomeAid Northern Virginia’s 14th Annual Gala & Auction, held on November 7, once again broke fundraising records, bringing in $335,000 through donations, sponsorships, attendance, and live and silent auctions. The always-popular paddle challenge, which HomeAid Life Director Michael Scheurer kicked off with a heartwarming story of a life changed by HomeAid, raised an incredible $75,000 within minutes, even before it was matched by Doug and Ann Smith. An enthusiastic crowd of supporters were also on hand to celebrate and congratulate the winners of our 2015 Presidents’ Circle Awards, which this year were presented to:
The Wizard of Oz-themed Gala, held this year for the first time at the Westfields Marriott, also offered up plenty of buzz worthy auction items, two of the most hotly contested being Dream Seats for the Washington Redskins vs. Dallas Cowboys football game, and a football signed by former Redskins Head Coach Joe Gibbs. Gibbs is also the founder of Youth for Tomorrow, for whom HomeAid recently completed a major homebuilding project with Stanley Martin Homes and trade partners. The night’s feel-good auction donation was provided by Feld Entertainment, which gave 40 tickets to the Disney on Ice show and the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® Circus, so that local shelter residents could attend. Special thanks to Intercoastal Mortgage Company, our presenting sponsor, and the many other sponsor companies who made this event possible! |
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| HomeAid and The Big Give Support BARN on Day of Giving | |
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In November, Builder Captain Drees Homes and 11 trade partners renovated 12 bathrooms for Transitional Housing BARN, Inc., and in the process helped transform how every resident greeted the new day. But some of the comforts of home were still needed, such as fluffy towels, cozy bath mats, laundry baskets, and other vanity-top essentials. Enter the Big Give, started by Kathleen Holroyd and her family four years ago, as a way for families to join together and give back to the community. Holroyd’s idea was to contact five local charities, find out what they need, and then tell participating families what to bring and where to meet for the first stop, while keeping the details of what they’d be doing—and where they’d be caravanning—a surprise. “I used to teach at Linton Hall School, near BARN, so I was familiar with the organization,” she said. “Now, I work for a termite company, and I learned about HomeAid when they emailed us about donating services for upcoming projects. During a follow-up conversation, I learned about HomeAid’s Welcome Home Baskets, and I knew that I had found something that our Big Give group could help with this year.” With BARN’s help, Holroyd put together a list of all the items needed to stock 12 bathrooms and tasked participating Big Give families with purchasing everything from shower curtains to towels. The group of more than 50 people—including kids ranging in age from one to 18—then met at BARN, assembled the baskets, and presented their gifts together. “It was unbelievable to see this army of people, of every age, gender, and background, coming over the hill carrying all those baskets of supplies,” said Colin Davis, executive director at BARN. “We’ll usually get single-gender scout groups or a women’s group—all of which is also incredible—but to see a multi-generational, eclectic group of people who have just one thing in common—they all care and want to give back—was unbelievable. All 12 bathrooms are now stocked, so in addition to giving our residents what they need, it also gave us the breathing room to focus on holiday wish lists, which is coming up next.” “Big Give days are always so much fun, a little crazy, and so inspirational,” Holroyd added. “I think the surprise factor really adds to the fun of it, and having so many of us join in means that we can make a far bigger difference than any one family ever could.” After leaving BARN, the group brought home baked goods to a local fire department, supplied an elementary school with a week’s worth of food for their Backpack Buddies program, shopped at Target to fulfill the Christmas wish list of a child battling cancer, and ended the day at the Bull Run Warrior Retreat, where they provided food and decorations for a Thanksgiving feast. |
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| …to our recent donors. Names in orange donated $5,000 or more. Names in red donated $2,500 or more. | |
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Individuals Scott Alford |
Tom and Beth Pyne Companies Beazer Homes |
*Monetary contributions, October 15 – November 14, 2015
READ: Youth for Tomorrow Dedication, Stanley Martin Holds Furniture for YFT House, Youth for Tomorrow Trade Partners, Trade Partner Spotlight: Franklin Electric and SmartCom Home Technologies, Home for the Holidays at New Hope Housing, Trade Partner Spotlight: McCrea Heating and Air Conditioning, Annual Gala & Auction Raises $335K, Big Give Joins HomeAid’s Helping Hands Effort, Thanks to Recent Donors
